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Mayor Encourages Community to celebrate Sir John A.

January 8, 2014 -

Kingston Gears Up For Next Year's Bicentennial Celebration

This Saturday, January 11, marks the 199th Birthday of Sir John A. Macdonald, Father of Confederation and the first Prime Minister of Canada. Events and activities are planned throughout the day to celebrate the history and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald.

"Celebrating Sir John A. Macdonald's birthday is an opportunity for Kingstonians to explore our history and the leadership of Sir John A. in the formation of our country," said Mayor Mark Gerretsen. "Kingston looks forward to continuing to share Sir John A.'s story locally, regionally and nationally in the countdown to the 2015 Bicentennial of Macdonald's birth, now just a year away."

Statue Ceremony

The community is invited to Sir John A.'s Statue in City Park, at the corner of King and West Streets, at 12 p.m. for a community celebration of our most famous Kingstonian. The 9th Annual Statue Ceremony, led by the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission, will feature special guests, as well as performances by members of the SALON Acting Company and Juno-winning musician Mike Ford. For more information on the Statue Ceremony and the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission, please visit http://www.sirjohna2015.ca/

Sir John A. Levee

Following the statue ceremony, Mayor Mark Gerretsen invites residents to City Hall for a special Sir John A. Macdonald Levee, the first of its kind. The levee will feature the unveiling the City of Kingston's Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial logo and the debut of Historica Canada's Heritage Minute on Macdonald's national legacy. The levee will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall, City Hall.

Sir John A. Macdonald: Canada Then and Now Conference Queen's University's School of Policy Studies, Queen's Law and Department of Political Studies, and the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission are hosting a one-day conference exploring the life and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald. For more information on the conference, titled Sir John A. Macdonald: Canada Then and Now, please visit http://www.queensu.ca/sps/events/conferencesandworkshops/sjam2014.html

"The phrase 'Macdonald of Kingston' rings through history still," said Arthur Milnes, Kingston's Commissioner of the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial celebrations. "It is therefore a real honour to join with Mayor Gerretsen and so many others in our community in encouraging all Kingstonians, and all Canadians, to participate in Macdonald Bicenntennial events."

Scottish-born Sir John A. Macdonald made Kingston his home, spending most of his life living in or representing the community. Next year Canada will celebrate Sir John A.'s Bicentennial, and Kingston, home of Sir John A. and Canada's first capital, will be the focal point. The City of Kingston and the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission are working together on cultural and educational events to promote, educate and celebrate the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald and his Bicentennial in 2015.